96% Lunar Eclipse

 

Mostly clear skies and warm conditions made observing the partial lunar eclipse event over Eastern Iowa during the night of August 27-28, 2026 ideal. The penumbral phase of the eclipse started at 8:23 pm CDT on Thursday, August 27, and at 9:33 pm the Earth's direct shadow began covering the moon. Maximum eclipse (96% of the moon's surface) occurred around 11:12 pm. The image above captures the eclipse in a progression spaced in 15 minute increments, starting at 9:30 pm (lower left) and finishing at 11:13 pm (maximum, at upper right). The 9:30 pm image is a 1/500 second exposure at f/9, ISO 400, 70mm focal length, while the 11:13 pm is a 1/5 second exposure at f/4, ISO 640 and 70mm focal length. The image looks southeast from Lowe Park in Marion, Iowa, with the Klopfenstein Amphitheater in the foreground. It was captured separately as a 3 second exposure at f/8, ISO 125, 29mm focal length.

Individual capture of the moon around maximum eclipse (11:12 pm). 1/10 second exposure at f/4, ISO 640, 70mm focal length. Nikon Z6ii camera.